Lately when I’ve been looking at myself in the mirror, it seems that I am lacking some forearm size compared to the rest of my body. For a moment I considered adding wrist curls and reverse wrist curls to my workout regimen. Then it hit me…
Is it possible that the main reason my forearms are lagging because I have been using lifting straps? I currently use them for:
deadlifts
lat pulldowns
seated rows
DB rows
*I only have been using them for heavier weights. Light/Mid weight I refrain from using straps.
I discovered lifting straps early on in college. They allowed me to lift heavy, work target muscles more while having to focus less on grip, which I believed limited my growth since I could pull around 20-30% more weight when using straps.
My dilemma right now is if I ditch the straps, my grip strength will improve but consequently I may end up working target muscle groups less than before since I would be lifting some amount less than before. And that I may lose size/strength.
Ditch the straps? Continue using the straps and add forearm exercises?
[quote]magstormpsy wrote:
Lately when I’ve been looking at myself in the mirror, it seems that I am lacking some forearm size compared to the rest of my body. For a moment I considered adding wrist curls and reverse wrist curls to my workout regimen. Then it hit me…
Is it possible that the main reason my forearms are lagging because I have been using lifting straps? I currently use them for:
deadlifts
lat pulldowns
seated rows
DB rows
*I only have been using them for heavier weights. Light/Mid weight I refrain from using straps.
I discovered lifting straps early on in college. They allowed me to lift heavy, work target muscles more while having to focus less on grip, which I believed limited my growth since I could pull around 20-30% more weight when using straps.
My dilemma right now is if I ditch the straps, my grip strength will improve but consequently I may end up working target muscle groups less than before since I would be lifting some amount less than before. And that I may lose size/strength.
Ditch the straps? Continue using the straps and add forearm exercises?[/quote]
deadlifts: straps occasionally, last set or two.
lat pulldowns: no straps. how “heavy” are you really going here? do weighted chins
seated rows: no straps. maybe use straps occasionally on chest supported prone rows.
Drop the straps and chalk up. Even on deads, learn to use a hook grip. I did a heavy rack pull session the other night where my body failed before my grip did using the hook. I was holding 70+ lbs over my current max.
[quote]magstormpsy wrote:
Lately when I’ve been looking at myself in the mirror, it seems that I am lacking some forearm size compared to the rest of my body. For a moment I considered adding wrist curls and reverse wrist curls to my workout regimen. Then it hit me…
Is it possible that the main reason my forearms are lagging because I have been using lifting straps? I currently use them for:
deadlifts
lat pulldowns
seated rows
DB rows
*I only have been using them for heavier weights. Light/Mid weight I refrain from using straps.
I discovered lifting straps early on in college. They allowed me to lift heavy, work target muscles more while having to focus less on grip, which I believed limited my growth since I could pull around 20-30% more weight when using straps.
My dilemma right now is if I ditch the straps, my grip strength will improve but consequently I may end up working target muscle groups less than before since I would be lifting some amount less than before. And that I may lose size/strength.
Ditch the straps? Continue using the straps and add forearm exercises?[/quote]
It all depends on your priorities, personally I use straps because I have to (small hands) and I couldn’t care less because I don’t Deadlift for my forearms. That’s what reverse curls & wrist curls are for.
That doesn’t mean however that I don’t try to improve my grip, I have found that using Deadlift warm up sets for grip (no straps) has worked wonders (I can hold around 100lbs more now than I could a year ago), just keep on increasing the weight slowly and then strap up for the real work.
On the other hand if your grip strength is more important to you than being able to lift what you are capable of then by all means ditch the straps, drop the weight for a while and work on your gripping power.
[quote]roofus_5 wrote:
Drop the straps and chalk up. Even on deads, learn to use a hook grip. I did a heavy rack pull session the other night where my body failed before my grip did using the hook. I was holding 70+ lbs over my current max.[/quote]
The hook grip is not the best for most people. For deadlifts, he’s better off using a mixed grip and chalk.
The hook grip is better for those using Olympic lifts.
[quote]Nate Dogg wrote:
roofus_5 wrote:
Drop the straps and chalk up. Even on deads, learn to use a hook grip. I did a heavy rack pull session the other night where my body failed before my grip did using the hook. I was holding 70+ lbs over my current max.
The hook grip is not the best for most people. For deadlifts, he’s better off using a mixed grip and chalk.
The hook grip is better for those using Olympic lifts.
[/quote]
There are those that will argue that a mixed grip may cause a slight twisting in the spine during a deadlift. I also personally don’t like “keeping track” of which way I did it last to switch it up so the hook grip suits my needs best. To each his own.
Well what are your goals?? if looking to klift for sport drop the straps you have to have a bad ass grip. If just lifting to look good then us them start using them on the sets that your grip is the limiter and you can work the fore arms separate.
Personally id drop em but nIm lifting to LIFT, do strongman PLing etc so. But if its purely aesthetic by all means use the straps, and find other ways to attack your grip/forearms
Concerning deadlifts, I currently use a mix grip and alternate each set. My grip is a bit peculiar. I don’t know the exact terminology but my overhand grip is a hook grip while my underhand grip is a normal thumb-around-bar grip. I have been using lifting straps for all my deadlift sets (minus the warmup) since they help me gain strength/mass in many muscle groups.
I would say that I lift primarily for asthetics. I am by no means a powerlifter but not quite a true bodybuilder (lift/diet/rest dedication) like many individuals on T-Nation. I would just classify myself as someone who works out, lifts heavy, and is still working on improving diet to gain mass. It’s a rough road for me as I found out eating right to get big takes an incredible amount of dedication and discipline.
Reading some of the replies, I am plan to reduce the number of sets that I use lifting straps for and only use them on the two heaviest sets. And incorporate wrist curls and reverse wrist curls to my split.
Any other suggestions for exercises that hit the forearms?
Thick bar work is good. Also farmer’s lift. Another good one is finger curls in a rack. Set the rack to a height that is just below your fingertips. Load up a bar with maybe 50-70% of your bodyweight to start with.
Grab the bar with underhand grip, lift off the rack, then let it roll down by opening your fingers. Before it slips out the bottom, pull it back up using your fingers. Aim to eventually do reps with 1.5 times bodyweight. Rock climbers swear by this one.
I wear straps all the time and I still have nice forearms. The trick is to only wrap the straps loosely and pretend like you aren’t wearing them. That way your forearms are doing the work until they fail and then the straps are there to catch the weight.
Forearms are genetically stubborn muscle groups for more than a few just like calves. Some people don’t need to do direct forearm work at all and their forearms blow up to grotesque proportions but that’s not the case with most. If you happen to be one of the former then more power to you. If you aren’t then it’s time to train them individually like you would train any other muscle group. As far as the deads are concerned here are my thoughts :
For a person who is primarily looking for physique enhancement using underhand/overhand grip in deads MIGHT not be the best bet as it can prevent you from going to failure since your grip starts to give up first unless of course you are doing relatively very low reps. Same holds true for other back exercises. Secondly although chalk is great, as I personally use it whenever I am doing deads it isn’t allowed in most gyms so that can be another issue.
Also it is generally said that after you reach a certain weight like say 500 pounds in deads there is a higher possibility of bicep tear for those who use an underhand/overhand grip. There are so many great opinions on this thread. My advice to you is find out what you feel is the most ideal for you and work towards it as you know your body the best. Peace.
Don’t wear straps honestly. If you can’t grip the weight, focus on strengthening your grip(which will give you some hypertrophy in your forearms with extra work).
Use chalk instead of straps since it will allow you to grip the bar in the natural manner. As far as a hook grip vs mixed grip goes, use the grip that is best for you. I switched over to a hook grip for all pulls, and it has enhanced my grip and strength in my lifts!!!
I wear straps only for deadlifts. You really don’t need them for other exercises IMO. If you are going for aesthetics I would only use them for DL’s but like others said if you are doing strongman or power lifting then ditch them. For pulldowns, I’m sure you using less weight than you can do for pullups. You don’t use straps for pullups so don’t use them for pulldowns either. If you have to use significantly less weight than you should work on grip strength.